Head or Tails
by fmariana17
Summary: Light and L are two exceptionally bright kids. They meet in school at a very young age and quickly become friends. They grow together, always healthily competing for the top grades, in sports, and games. Their competition, however, eventually grows to something bigger than they could ever imagine. A strange relationship between the two develops as they walk their entangled paths.
1. Chapter 1

"This is stupid, Dad," stated four-year-old Light, looking around the crowded campus of his new kindergarten. Light was disgusted with the other children's cries, holding on to their parents' legs as if it was the last time they would see them. Some were running in circles stupidly, excited to be out of their homes. Light looked around one more time, not really expecting to see a decent child among all the little midgets (like he wasn't one), but to his surprise, he found a pair of dark eyes staring at him from a distance.

The eyes were so dark the irises were indistinguishable from the pupils. From Light's point of view, the boy with the eyes looked almost cartoon-like. His eyes were huge, popped open like forever-surprised. He had long eyelashes and pale skin, which contrasted greatly with the boy's deep black hair. He was very short, and had a rather rough appearance with worn jeans, a thin grey t-shirt that had a small but visible hole in the side, and dirty tennis shoes. The boy intrigued Light. He stared back at him and gave him a small smile. The boy only rose his eyebrows in return. Light also didn't fail to note that the boy was standing on his own, leaning on a tree and observing everyone. His parents were apparently nowhere in sight.

"Bye dad. I'm going to make some friends," sated Light confidently without looking away from the boy and strode away from Mr. Yagami.

Mr. Yagami watched his son with an amused smile. His son walked with a straight back, holding on to his small Spider-man backpack out of habit. Mr. Yagami kept his eyes on the boy as he arrived at his destination- a wide tree trunk were a lone boy rested. Strangely, although the boy's appearance was the exact opposite of Light's, the two children resembled each other somehow. They stood out from the rest. It was like spotting the sun and the moon from the rest of the stars.

Light extended his hand towards the boy.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Light" This was the first time L had introduced himself to anyone. He'd watched his parents do so countless of times before, so he imitated their actions to appear more adult-like. The boy stared at Light's hands for a couple of seconds, until finally a smile spread across his face slowly and he held out his hand to shake Light's.

"Nice to meet you too Light. My name is L" L expected some sort of remark, but Light only nodded and said,

"Cool"

Light suddenly felt a small shock in the center of his palm, which was still pressed against L's in their little handshake. Light tried to jerk his hand away, but L only pressed tighter, increasing the intensity and pain that had now consumed Light's entire hand. Tears threatened to spill but he fought them back out of pride.

"Sorry. I've always wanted to do that, but no one ever shook my hand" L said with a small grin, releasing the slightly electrocuted hand. He purposely ignored Light's red eyes. Perhaps he'd gone a little too far with his prank.

"… what was that?" Light attempted to sound indifferent, but his voice betrayed him. He was angry.

"Just a toy. Want one?"

Light shook his head, annoyed. He would get back at the boy for sure. He could still feel a little of the electric shock in the palm of his hand. He actually did want one of those but he would never admit it. Or at the very least, he wouldn't get it from that L. His four-year-old pride didn't allow him to do so.

Mr. Yagami looked away from the amusing pair, feeling like he was in some sort of TV show. He didn't spend much time with his family so he was still not used to seeing his intelligent son act so maturely for his age.

"They're an interesting pair, aren't they?"

Mr. Yagami turned towards the source of the voice- Light's teacher. He'd been so engrossed watching his son he hadn't noticed somebody approaching him. He was the head of the police department of his city. It was strange for him not to notice even the lightest footsteps.

"They are fascinating" He answered the teacher honestly.

"Indeed they are. I am very glad to be their teacher" She was really only thinking of the praises she would get for having such smart children. She could already imagine herself bragging about how she taught them to read and write at such a young age. Both of them knew how to do that already, she was sure by watching their little exchange. Deciding the kids had had enough time to cry and say their goodbyes to their parents, she called them in to the classroom. The cries grew louder when parents forced the kids to enter the classroom. She was starting to get a headache. She then noticed two pairs of wide eyes staring up at her. For some reason, she felt a little embarrassed. She fixed her facial features into a large Colgate smile as she looked back down at the two. Their stares were unnerving. She opened her mouth to order them into the classroom but they nodded at exactly the same time and walked away before she could say anything. Keeping her eyes on them, she noticed their steps were also in sync. Were they aware of it? They resembled twins- the kind that claim to be absolutely different, but yet can't stay away from each other. They also radiated a sort of unapproachable aura together. Once again, just like twins who live in their own little world that no one else can see nor touch.

"Alright everyone, gather around and form a half-circle. We are going to get to know each other!" exclaimed the teacher, faking excitement. She ordered them to say their name, what they wanted to be when they grew up, and anything else they wished to share.

Light watched with a bored expression as everyone shared their life stories. One unhandsome kid broke a hand last December, another fell from a window of a 4th floor but grew wings miraculously, saving himself. One obese boy apparently had four girlfriends, another one lived in a castle and was a prince. Of course, there were those who were too shy and scared to say much of anything. Two girls cried and hid behind the teacher, and one skinny boy even peed his pants. Disgusting. Light was ashamed to be with such a class. When his turn finally came, he noticed a pair of black eyes watching him curiously, and Light suddenly had an idea.

"I am Light. I want to be a doctor when I grow up, and today I met a nasty boy who doesn't shower, has head lice, big green boogers, and likes to look under girls' skirts" Light stated with an exaggerated disgusted expression. His eyes never left L's. All the children asked who the nasty boy was but Light only smiled and sat back down. L looked at him and stood up.

"My name is L. I want to be a detective when I grow up, and today I met a mean boy who electrocuted my hand when I asked if I could play with him. He said he didn't play with nasty boys." L also forced his features into a pout and sagged his shoulders, looking at the ground.

Light was shocked. That L completely turned things against him. And he lied! Well, Light did lie first. He watched in astonishment as the class responded to their revelations.

"L is the nasty boy Light met!" One girl shouted.

"He looks at girls' panties!"

"EW! L is nasty!"

"No he isn't! Light lied! He's the nasty one!"

"Light is a liar!"

"Light is mean!"

"Light wants to be a doctor so he can look at girls' panties!"

"EW! Light is nasty!"

"Look! Light has boogers!"

"Light doesn't shower!"

"Light is stupid!"

"Light is ugly!"

"Nasty Light! Nasty Light! Nasty liar Light!"

Mrs. Brown[the teacher] couldn't hold it anymore. She would have normally found the scene unfolding in front of her eyes annoying and unpleasant, but for some reason she found it absolutely hilarious. She removed her hand covering her mouth and released a laugh she'd been suppressing. She just couldn't help it. The poor little proud boy was being picked on, but he brought it upon himself. He'd expected the opposite to happen; he probably never expected L to retaliate. She knew her actions were unprofessional but for the moment she didn't care. She wanted to see how the genius boy would respond.

Light felt moisture gathering in the corner of his eyes. How could this be happening to him? Not only did his plan to humiliate L fail, but it turned against him and now… now everyone one was accusing him of such horrible things! All children were shouting and laughing at him at once, even the teacher! Nobody had ever even raised his voice at him before, much less insulted him in such a way. He didn't know what to do. One single tear actually escaped one of his eyes without his permission, but he wiped it away before anyone could see. But L saw, Light was sure of it. The thought made him angry, very angry.

Sure enough, L noticed the reddening of Light's eyes. All children had now gathered around Light and were progressively shouting more elaborate insults. Finally, Light stood up and broke away from the group, walking straight toward L. His hands were clenched in little fists, but he stopped walking when he was about one foot away from L. The boys stared at each other until finally Light opened his mouth to loudly state,

"I do not talk to nasty boys"

L considered the meaning of that for a moment.

"…Then I'm not nasty?"

"I do not talk to nasty boys" Light repeated.

"…okay…"

The boys stared at each other some more, then broke into a silly laugh.

"I can't believe you! You're the one who gave me a hand shock!"

"And you're probably the one that likes to look under girls' skirts. That's why you got so offended" L responded.

"I do not!"

Mrs. Brown decided it was time to stop the madness. The amusing pair had apparently made up, or so it seemed. That unapproachable aura had surrounded them again. As the class went on, the two constantly insulted one another but laughed it off afterwards. As she expected, they were far above everyone else in terms of knowledge and abilities, probably two or three grades ahead.

The days that followed were the same, with loud, stupid children and the inseparable pair of geniuses that constantly argued and competed in every single thing they did. They were the highlight of Mrs. Brown's days. She paid close attention to everything they did and said. She wanted to be a witness to their astonishing progress and evolution.

Those two would change history together. She was absolutely sure of it.


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2

One year later

"L! We are in the same class again!" 5-year-old Light exclaimed happily as he entered his new classroom, a classroom he would be sharing with L for an additional year.

"I am happy. Light is my only friend," L responded with a tiny smile. Light wondered if he'd ever seen L laugh. He thought hard for a moment, quickly scanning the memories in his brain of the past year. He remembered the first day he met L. He'd laughed, but it wasn't a heartfelt laugh. Light then remembered a particular day after school when his mother was late picking him up. A boy no older than 15 had come to the kindergarten to pick up L. When Light asked if he was L's brother, L looked down sadly and shook his head. There was something strange about that memory but Light couldn't quite put his finger on it. There was another time in the classroom when their teacher announced it was L's birthday. Light had no idea. He scrambled his backpack for something to serve as a present and found his favorite toy car. Without thinking twice, he took off a white shoe lace and used it to wrap it around the toy as a bow. Light would never forget L's expression that day. L wore a genuine, full, teeth-showing smile that reflected in his eyes. L was happy. He rarely smiled that brightly, and his smiles seemed to be reserved for Light only.

"L is my best friend!" Light couldn't repeat L's statement of L being his only friend, because he wasn't. In fact, Light had many friends. He was well-liked by his teachers and classmates, but he really did enjoy being around L the most. All his other friends always went along with whatever Light said or did, and they often bored him.

"Hey L, want to go to my house today?" Light asked.

"What are we going to do there?" L responded uninterested.

"I want to play with you, L" Light stared at L's black eyes as he said this. L blinked once and answered,

"Okay"

L was admittedly a little nervous. He had never visited anybody else's home. The orphanage was the only home he knew. He didn't know how to interact with adults. What was he supposed to say to Light's parents? L wondered what Light's home was like. He probably had a room of his own, filled with books and toys and all of his personal possessions. L shared a room with two others in the orphanage. All he had was a desk full of school papers, newspapers, and the present Light gave him two years ago. He sighed at the memory. Despite his nervousness, L really did want to visit Light's home. He couldn't concentrate well in class all day, trying to anticipate the day's events. Before he knew it, he was standing outside the school gates waiting for Light to be picked up.

Light's mother smiled brightly at the mention of L's visit.

"That's the first time you invite someone over Light! Mom will prepare a wonderful dinner tonight!"

Light had other friends, so why had he never invited anyone over? He had a nice home and loving parents. He was a regular boy with a regular family. But yet, L was the first friend he had asked to visit his home. The thought made L feel a little happy.

"Why don't you boys take a bath before dinner's ready?" Mrs. Yagami suggested.

"Great idea, mom. It was very hot today and I'm all sweaty" Light took L's hand and guided him upstairs.

"Let's bath together L! My tub is really big and mom bought me this massage thing that feels really good"

L simply nodded. He'd never even taken a bath before. He always took quick showers on his own because there were other children waiting to use the restrooms. He let Light pull him upstairs while he observed his surroundings. The house was nice and large. Family portraits hung everywhere, and all furniture was clean and homey. Light suddenly opened a door and threw his backpack on the queen-sized bed. His room was actually quite simple. He had one desk with a computer on top, a dresser, and the bed. It looked like an adult's room.

"Do you not have any toys?" L asked.

"What kind of toys?"

"I don't know… cars maybe?" L really didn't know. He ever only played with puzzles and board games. But he assumed Light was different, since he did give L a toy car for his birthday.

"I don't play with them anymore, but they are stored in a room if you want to play. . . "

". . . I've never had any toys. . . and I've never bathed. . ." L confessed while looking down slightly. He didn't know what to expect of Light's response.

"Come on, let's bathe. You'll love it" There was no sign of sympathy or pity in Light's eyes. He seemed rather excited.

L waited in Light's bed as he prepared the bath. He sat there, examining the pattern on the carpet. It consisted of tiny squares that eventually formed bigger squares which in turn came together to form even bigger-

"Come L! Water's ready" Light's bathtub was indeed large enough for two grown persons to fit in comfortably. There was foam everywhere and the mirrors were fogged from the hot water.

"Well, let's get in" Light said. He started undressing himself quickly and bent down to touch the water, his naked backside plainly visible to L.

L felt his cheeks reddening a little and he felt suddenly embarrassed. He found the situation a little awkward. He'd never seen anyone naked before, and now he was going to bathe for the first time, completely naked with Light. Still red faced, he undressed quickly and got into the bath. Light openly stared at his friend's awkward movements. L, usually aloof and expressionless, was self-conscious of his body! Who would have thought. Light suppressed a laugh and joined L in the bath tub. He turned towards L, who was sitting stiffly on the edge, his hands placed beside him like a statue. Light could no longer hold it and laughed out loud.

"What are you so embarrassed about? Relax!" Light laughed some more and splashed some water on L's face. L remained still for a second, then broke his stiffness and raised his eyebrows. He looked around until he spotted a small bucket near the tub. He quickly picked up, forgetting about his nakedness, and filled it up with cold water. Light watched curiously.

"Light?"

As soon as Light turned his head up towards L, who was standing up, he saw a river of water coming straight at him. Freezing water. Light screamed as his skin came into contact with the water, and L laughed proudly like an idiot seeing Light's reaction. The bastard. Light pulled L's leg towards him, causing L to slip and fall under the water, but not before hitting his head on the edge of the tub. The impact made a loud noise, alarming L. He instantly let go of L's leg and crawled to where L lay lifelessly, not making a single move.

". . . L? …L? Hey L! Answer me! Quit playing around!" Light was actually really scared. Hits on the head are never good. He'd hear of people dying from it. What if L had hit his head bad enough for him to die? Then Light would be forced to go to jail! Or even if he didn't die, what if he lost his memories! He could wake up and-

An unknown force suddenly pushed him back. Surprised, Light attempted to hold on to slippery walls of the tub but failed and fell out, landing on the wet floor with a loud thud. His back hurt. Afraid to get up and fall again, he lay there until a pair of dark eyes filled his vision.

"Gotcha" L stuck his tongue out, looking his age for once. Although furious for the prank, Light was more relieved L wasn't seriously hurt. Moisture gathered on the corner of his eyes without his permission and finally rolled down his cheek. He was overwhelmed. His back hurt badly and he was so mad at L he wanted to punch him, but at the same time hug him for being alive. The tears continued to fall from Light's eyes quietly and progressively grew into full out sobs.

"Stupid L! Stupid L! My back hurts! Stupid L!" He continued shouting incoherent phrases between sobs as L watched with interest. It was the first time he'd seen Light cry. It was strange but he didn't like it. L threw some more water at Light to get his attention.

"I'm sorry Light. I'm really sorry I made you cry" L said with a small, soft voice.

At the sound of L's voice, Light calmed a little and looked at L. To his surprise, L's eyes were also watery, with tears threatening to spill any second.

"Stupid! Why are you crying, L!" Light stood up and got into the bath again. He'd stopped shouting but he couldn't seemed to stop the sobs.

L was taken aback by Light's comment. Crying? Who…? Unexpectedly, his tears spilled more furiously hearing Light's loud sobs. He couldn't deny it anymore. He was crying. Light's sobs must be contagious. L grabbed a handful of water and threw it at Light.

"Shut up! It's your fault! Quit crying!"

Mrs. Yagami heard shout from upstairs. Light was a well behaved child. He never screamed or cried. He was obedient and intelligent. She knew that other children his age irritated him, but he'd never been affected enough to _shout_ at them. Interested, she climbed up the stairs and hurried to the bathroom, not knowing what to expect.

She could not believe her eyes at the scene that played in front of her. Her beloved child, her five-year-old was immaturely having a water fight with a friend. They were splashing water on each other and even using old toy ducks to hit each other's foreheads. The scene was so natural but yet unreal. She laughed, pleased, and left the room.

Light had finally found a friend.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The days went by quickly for the two boys. They enjoyed their days together in school and at home, since L tended to visit Light's house quite often to play computer games. Without exception, these visits always ended in silly quarrels between the boys that sometimes grew into actual physical fights that Mrs. Yagami had to break apart. Of course, the boys never seriously harmed each other. As one started to cry, the other would soon follow until Mrs. Yagami arrived.

One particular time, Light accidentally poked L's eye, which turned so red that Light was scared blood would come out of it. He felt so guilty afterwards that he insisted L spend the entire week in Light's home until he healed. L only stayed over for two days, but soon after, it became a habit for the boys to spend the night together.

It was now December, one week before school closed for holidays.

Light lay down on his bed, hidden under the covers. He shut his eyes tightly and counted to a hundred, but sleep did not arrive. His mother must have lied when she said counting would bore people to sleep. The cold did not help. He turned his head to his left, wondering if the figure lying about a foot away from him had gone to sleep already.

He pulled the mountain of blanket towards him. His plan was to roll them tightly around him, but the blankets stayed firm in place. He groaned quietly and pulled harder, until they finally moved. He wrapped them around himself happily, but one second later the blankets were pulled away from him, exposing one leg to the freezing air. He shuddered and pulled again, really hard this time, but it was futile. That L had them completely wrapped around him, leaving only enough space for Light to cover half of himself.

"I'm cooold" he whined.

"So?" came a response from the other end of the bed.

"You're awake? Give me my blankets back!"

"No."

Furious, Light kicked the roll of blankets- L included- until L fell out of the bed. He wasn't even worried about L crashing his head against something since he was so well covered with _his _blankets in _his_ bed.

"Fine" said L, standing up from his position on the floor.

Light took the opportunity to snatch the blankets away from the boy and rolled them around himself, leaving L standing barefoot and completely exposed to the cold.

"Light"

"Hm?"

"Light", L repeated.

Without further warning, L uncovered Light's feet and crawled under the covers, with just enough space to fit right against Light's body. He found it surprisingly warm, so he snuggled closer to Light and rested his head on Light's shoulder. Light did not complain. The rise and fall of his chest as he breathed was actually very soothing, lulling L to sleep.

A few minutes later, Light asked,

"You asleep?"

"Na," L answered, half awake.

"Do you know what relocating means?"

"Nah"

"I heard my dad say he was relocating, then he said something about my school…"

"I don't know, Light… Go to sleep" L said with a groggy voice. Light liked the feeling of L's warm breath on his neck. L's head was a little heavy on his shoulder, but the warmth he provided made up for it. He nodded and kept quiet. L's light snoring proved to be a much more effective method than counting numbers, Light thought in a dreamlike state.

The next morning, Light woke up with the smell of bacon. He took a deep breath, allowing the sweet smell into his lungs, and slowly opened his eyes.

"AH!" He jumped a little, surprised at the proximity of the large black eyes staring at him.

"You scared me! Don't sleep so close to me!" L only blinked and continued staring.

"Your mom told me to wake you up" he responded.

"Why didn't you just shake me? How long were you staring at me for?"

"About an hour"

"What? Creeper!"

"I lied. Only about two minutes. "

"You are still a creeper"

"Your mom says to go eat"

"Oh yeah, I'm going to ask her about the relocating thing"

They took their time getting dressed. L was so used to being at Light's home that he didn't even ask L to lend him clothes. He simply chose what he wanted to wear from Light's wardrobe and put it on.

"That's my favorite shirt" Light stated, noticing the black Spider-man T-shirt L put on.

"Spider-man is stupid. He can't fight without his Spider-man clothes" said L.

"Then you're more stupid. You can't fight even if you put it on" Light replied.

"I could so. Anybody could, even you"

"Not you. It's too big for shorties like you" Light laughed at his own little joke. "Even if you had superpowers, you wouldn't know how to use them! You would never become a hero like me"

"Then how would _you_ use them?" asked L, seriously considering the question. If he really thought about it, he couldn't see himself being Spider-man. It was too troubling. He'd rather just watch from the sidelines. Light was right. He had no idea what he would do with superpowers. A question suddenly popped into his mind.

"Then if you were a hero, would you kill me if I was a bad guy?" L asked.

"But L, you would never be a bad guy, right?"

Once again, Light was right. L found the idea of being some evil green alien stupid, almost funny.

L agreed distantly and headed downstairs to the kitchen, where delicious food waited for him. He thought about the question he'd just asked Light, but with the roles reversed. If he actually was Spider-man and Light was the green alien, would he kill Light? L thought it stupid to think of such things that would never happen and focused on the food in front of him.

Footsteps could be heard from the kitchen as Light ran down the stairs.

"Mom!"

"Good morning honey"

"What is relocating?"

L observed Mrs. Yagami as she carefully turned around to face her son.

"…What do you mean hun?"

"Dad said he was relocating. What does that mean?"  
L thought Mrs. Yagami was making a funny expression, like she was at a loss for words. He'd never seen an adult make that expression when talking to kids. Mrs. Brown always talked to them with creepy smiles and she always yelled angrily at all the other kids. Mrs. Yagami wiped her hands on the apron around her waist and squatted down to be at eye level with her son.

"Light, listen. Because of dad's work, we're going to move soon" Her eyes never left her son's.

"…Move where?"

"To another city, Light. And you will have to change schools"

Light stayed silent. He took a minute to process the information that was suddenly thrown at him.

"… You mean I won't be going to L's school anymore?" The information simply sounded foreign in Light's ears. Not going to L's school? That just never even entered his mind before. He turned to look at L, who was staring at him with those unnaturally large black eyes, seemingly as shocked as Light was.

Mrs. Yagami watched their little expressions with amusement. The boys were silently looking at each other with almost identical expressions of bewilderment and confusion, not saying a word. She wondered what was going on in those little heads of theirs.

"Can I stay with L?" Light said, hopeful. Mrs. Yagami looked pained. She hated separating his son from his best friend, the only one he had really opened up to, but her husband was firm on leaving.

"No son, you have to come with us. Don't worry, we're coming back in a year and you'll see L then"

"But I don't wanna go" Light complained. Mrs. Yagami's frown deepened. She wrapped her arms around the boys and ruffled their hair affectionately.

"I'm really sorry. This came unexpected to me as well. I promise you will both see each other again. L, honey, we all will miss you very much. You're already part of our family".

L nodded in Mrs. Yagami's arms. He hated to admit, but he had the urge to cry was slowly growing with each word that came out of the woman's mouth. The seriousness of the situation was starting to finally weight down on him.

"Th- th-then… then, can we bring L? Mom, can we bring L with us? Please? Can L come with us to our new house? Yeah? Mom? Mom? Can he… can he come with- ?" Light's words came fast, with a desperate tone to it. They gradually grew into a whisper.

L didn't know what to say. He was afraid the tears he'd been withholding would betray him if he opened his mouth. Light's attitude really was contagious. He felt the uneasiness, hopefulness, and desperation Light was radiating with his every word. Carefully, he turned to meet Light's hopeful gaze, still waiting for an answer. L looked down and shook his head. He knew. He was absolutely sure the orphanage people would never allow him to go anywhere. Everybody there mysteriously disappeared when they reached a certain age, but they never left before that. He didn't need to ask. He knew what they'd say- that the orphanage was his one and only home.

"…L can't come?" L's thoughts were interrupted with Light's voice.

"No" L responded quietly.

Mrs. Yagami stood up quickly, eager to brighten the atmosphere. "Alright! Enough of that, boys come eat! I'll serve you ice cream as dessert so cheer up!" The boys followed her dejectedly, unusually quiet. She was glad they hadn't asked the date of their move- it was in exactly one week, right after school released the kids for Christmas break. Perhaps they were afraid to ask. She'd also been careful not to reveal where they were moving. She didn't want to upset them more than they already were. The place of their stay didn't matter, because the kids would be out of touch regardless, but traveling overseas sure sounded scarier to a kid than moving to a different city. To make matters worse, she'd promised the boys they'd meet again, but she wasn't so sure herself. Her husband said they'll be gone for a year, but that could potentially change depending on the outcome of his mission. He had recently gotten promoted- he was now in charge of a secret intelligence agency that he'd be directing in the U.S.

She couldn't help but be glad in a way for Light. The educational opportunities he'd be exposed to were endless. Light's teacher had urged her to enroll Light in one grade ahead, assuring her that Light would have no travel catching up to his older classmates. Truthfully, Mrs. Yagami had always wanted Light to study abroad. She had been planning on influencing him to study abroad in college, so this was the perfect opportunity for Light to learn English and get used to the different environment.

The next few days flew quietly by. L visited every day, but was picked up in the evenings by an older boy that Mrs. Yagami assumed was his brother. The boys didn't mention anything. If they were any other children, Mrs. Yagami would just assume they forgot about the issue, but she knew they were just afraid to bring it up. Friday morning came much quicker than she liked. Before dropping Light off to school, she held his hand and looked him in the eye.

"Honey, I love you. Don't be mad at me please" With that, she drove off, leaving Light standing in front of the school gate, confused.

His classroom door was closed. He raised one hand to knock but didn't have a chance to because it was flown open right before him.

The minute he entered the classroom, his mother's words made perfect sense. Today was the last day of school. He had found it odd but didn't think much of it this morning when his mother drove him to school thirty minutes later than usual.

"It's Light!" somebody shouted.

"We'll miss you Light!"

"We'll never forget you!"

"We get to eat cake because Light is leaving!"

"Yeah! It's Light's good-bye party!"

"We made you good-bye cards!"

"Teacher said you were moving really really far away!"

Light watched the scene before him, trying to make sense of the situation. Unconsciously, his eyes scanned the room for a particular pair of dark black eyes. He found them with no trouble at all. There they were, in the back of the room as usual with some hair over them. This was it. The day both boys had been dreading. Light repeated his mother's words in his mind. 'Don't be mad at me', she'd said.

How could he be mad? All he felt was an overwhelming urge to cry as the shouts continued, making the situation all that more real. He swallowed hard and took a step in. There were flashy signs all around the place with his name written on it along with depressing phrases like 'we'll miss you'. He knew they were all lies, because he wouldn't miss them. The only person he would miss was now standing across the room, still staring and not uttering a word. Looking at those dark eyes, Light couldn't hold his tears anymore.

"Teacher! Light is crying! Light is crying! Light is crying!"

Light wished they would all shut up and go away. They were only making the situation worse. How could he stop crying when everyone was looking at him and pointing it out? How could he not be sad, knowing today was the last day he would be in this classroom? His mother never told him, but she must have told the teacher, who decided to throw a stupid good-bye party for him. Light was annoyed from all the attention, he wanted it to stop. He just wanted to curl up in his bed and cry. He didn't even know where he'd be moving, but one of the kids had said it was a faraway place. What if that place was lonely and he couldn't make any friends? What if when he came back nobody would remember him? What if he never saw L again?

L looked away from the crying person. He knew more than anyone how contagious those tears were. He didn't want to be in that classroom anymore. All the noise and decorations only reminded him his only friend would be leaving him. Light was leaving him.

Completely alone.

Alone.

…

Alone.

The word kept repeating itself in L's mind. He hated it. It scared him to think he'd be going to a school without Light… to a home without Light… he'd spend lonely cold nights with nobody to play with, nobody to eat with, nobody to fight with…alone forever…he's perhaps never see Light ever again! Horrified at the thought, L looked back at the boy that was furiously wiping his eyes with the back of his hand as a horde of children watched him in a circle like he was part of some circus show.

Without thinking, L ran toward Light and hugged him.

"Leave him alone!" he shouted at the gawking children. They did not move. He was about to yell at them again when he felt small arms wrap around him.

"I don't want to move L. I'm scared" L could feel the growing moisture in the corner of his eyes. Unaware of his own actions, he wiped Light's tear-streaked cheeks with the sleeve of his sweater and kissed Light lightly on his cheek.

"Don't cry Light. Don't cry, please don't cry" L pleaded, rubbing his own eyes as if to stop the tears had started to leak out. He'd all but forgotten about the other children.

"I will really miss Light", L said in an almost inaudible voice.

"Me too" replied Light with a shaky voice, finally releasing L.

The boys looked at each other's faces. One's cheeks were red, puffy and shiny from all the crying. The other's eyes were red and watery, revealing the suppressed tears.

As in sync, they lifted the corners of their lips into smiles that soon turned into loud laughter. They had no idea what they were laughing about. Everything just seemed hilarious for some reason. The entire scenario felt so unreal it was funny. As their laughter started to cease, they would catch the other's gaze and burst out laughing like possessed again.

Mrs. Brown watched them silently, amazed. They were completely absorbed in their own world, unaware of the stares from all around the room.

"Are you sad too, Mrs. Brown?" A pig-tailed girl asked her, pulling the hem of her skirt. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't. She was devastated, for more reasons then she could count. The scene unfolding before her eyes was undeniably moving. It broke her heart. She'd never seen such strong friendship among young children before. Again, she couldn't help comparing them to twins. She smiled at the thought.

Somehow, she knew these weren't final good byes. Perhaps it was just her wishful thinking, but she strongly believed those two would do great things together. They had a long and complicated road ahead of them. This was just the beginning.

**A/N: Thank you for the kind reviews! So they've separated! D: But rest assured, they will reunite sooner than you might expect. New characters will be introduced next chapter. **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: There are some references to music pieces in this chapter. Here are youtube links if you're interested:**

**Rondo alla turca- watch?v=Yomi0-WL5Pg**

**Moonlight sonata- watch?v=nT7_IZPHHb0**

**Chapter 4**

Two years later

Light Yagami stared at the ceiling of his 3rd floor bedroom. He had it decorated with actual scale models of star constellations, and was pleased with the job. His room was huge, and the fake stars glowed in the dark. Sometimes, when he had nothing to do- which happened more than he'd like to admit- he would simply lie down on his bed and look at them, losing himself in the beautiful sight. The big fan in the center of the ceiling somehow managed to make them appear almost as if they were moving- they'd appear and disappear quickly when covered by moving fan.

Suddenly, his bedroom door burst open; whoever the intruder was didn't even bother to knock. Annoyed, Light sat up to look at the uninvited visitor. There was a tiny girl standing by the foot of his bed. She had silky, perfectly straight golden blond hair that reached the middle of her back. She wore a nicely fitted red dress with black tights underneath, and was holding a matching black wool coat with one hand, a purse with the other.

Misa.

Light sighed. No matter how many times she visited, he couldn't get used to her. She was overly familiar with him, like she'd known him all her life, when in actuality she'd only moved into his neighborhood about a year ago. He didn't really mind her company, since she was one of the only few kids that lived near him. They lived in high-class apartments in Washington, close to his father's headquarters. Misa was only two years older than him, but he found her strange-looking. She was like a miniature model, a life-sized doll. She always painted her lips bright red and wore clothes made for older women. Light wondered if she had them specially made for her. She was often complimented by adults, but to other kids she was rather scary- like a talking doll. Light simply couldn't understand why she would paint her face like that. He understood older women used makeup to hide their wrinkles, but Misa was just a 9-year-old child. She sometimes reminded him of a clown.

Light sighted again.

"What is it, Misa?"

"Come shopping with me"

Light laid back down on his bed. He really wasn't in the mood to go anywhere, particularly not to be dragged around at the mall while Misa tried countless of clothes on. Anytime they went in public together, people would point at them and smile or go "awww, adorable!" Everywhere Misa went, people would stare. Even more so when she forcibly held his hand so that he wouldn't get lost. As if that would ever happen. He suspected the only reason she wanted him to come along was so that she could gain more attention. He hated it.

"I'll buy you whatever you want, so come"

That certainly was an appealing offer, and Light knew she would follow through it. Her father was a wealthy politician that gave her absolutely anything she asked for. He thought about it for a moment before finally replying,

"…I want a new computer"

"Sure! I'll buy you the most expensive one in the store!"

Light was a little surprised. He didn't think she would agree so easily. Nonetheless, he nodded and headed out with her.

Misa's mother was outside waiting for them. They drove in silence for a while, until Misa's mother spoke suddenly, looking at Light trough the rearview mirror,

"Oh! That's right. Your mother told me you'll be attending Misa's school starting January, and you'll be in the 4th grade with Misa! Are you scared?"

Light considered the question for a second. This would be the first time in two years that he'd be interacting with other normal kids (he didn't consider Misa normal). He was admittedly a little nervous, because everybody in his new class was bound to be a year or two older than him, not to mention the differences in culture, so he didn't know what to expect. He'd spent the last two years home schooled, working with personal tutors to teach him English and all other subject areas. Light preferred learning this way, because he could go at his own pace without being dragged down by other kids. He was, however, overcome with boredom. The only other person he interacted with other than his parents was Misa.

His parents noticed this and finally decided to place him in a proper school. He'd be attending a private one with a rigorous program for the "gifted and talented" that only a select few could get into. Light was not only easily accepted, but he was placed in the fourth grade, two years ahead of other kids his age. He was enrolling right in the middle of the school year, so he'd probably be labeled as the new kid, bringing unwanted attention his way.

"Light?"

"Oh, right. Yeah, just a little nervous" he answered honestly.

"Good thing you'll have Misa there with you!" She smiled affectionately at her daughter, who beamed in response.

"Yeah, Misa-Misa will protect you!"

Truthfully, Light couldn't figure out how Misa had gotten into the program. He had no doubts the program was difficult to get into, because he'd taken the entrance exams himself, and even he had found them quite hard- nothing he couldn't do of course. Either Misa was actually very smart, despite her behavior, or her parents had somehow bribed the school board to let her in. As much as it disgusted him, he found the latter much more probable. The thought brought a question into his mind, what if there were more Misa's in his class? He was starting to get a headache just thinking about it.

They soon arrived at their destination, the Mazza Gallerie, where Misa was warmly welcomed at every store she entered. She was apparently a regular customer. Light simply followed, already bored.

"Hello there Mrs. Misa, how may we help you today? Oh! What do we have here, your boyfriend?"

At the word "boyfriend", Light looked up to a store employee, looking down at them with a red-lipped smile that was a little too big to appear natural. This was the first time anybody had called him Misa's boyfriend. People usually just assumed they were siblings since they both looked so young. But really,

Boyfriend?

How could she say that? It was… absurd. He couldn't think of a better word. Just… impossible. Nobody even had boyfriends or girlfriends at their age, what could that woman be thinking? Giving Misa ideas like that. Sure enough, Misa squealed and wrapped her hands around Light's small figure.

"Yeah! He's my boyfriend! My boyfriend!" She even pecked him on the cheek.

_Misa is such an idiot. Get off me, stupid girl. You're too loud. Now everyone is looking at us._

Light was beyond embarrassed. He felt the blood rushing to his face as curious faces glanced their way. It was all too much. Some raised their eyebrows in surprise, as if to say 'what are kids up to these days?' while others smiled genuinely, finding the scene rather cute. Light didn't know what to do. He wanted to push Misa away but he couldn't do it in front of all those people. He wished the earth would open up and swallow him whole. He wanted to disappear that very second.

"Aww! He's blushing! How cute!" exclaimed a second employee, emerging from behind the counter. She walked closer to them and pulled a phone out of her pants back pocket. Light's blush only deepened with the remark. He knew it wasn't helping the situation but he had no control over it. The situation was unbearable. He looked down to hide his face with his bangs, and was about to walk out of the store when the counter girl spoke again,

"I'm going to snap a picture of you two ok? Kiss him again!"

Misa did not lose the opportunity that presented itself, she loved all the attention. They'd even be taking a picture of her! To please the gawkers, she gently put a hand under Light's chin as she often saw couples do in movies and forced him to look up. She used her free hand to brush his bangs away from his eyes as she brought her face closer to him slowly, mimicking a scene she'd seen repeated on TV.

Light froze in place, his eyes were wide open in shock as they followed the living doll's face getting closer and closer to his. For some reason, he recalled a moment in a horror movie he'd seen some time ago, when a murderer was slowly closing in on his prey- a useless woman that was so scared she couldn't move. She was aware of her death arriving, but she couldn't even move. She simply waited there with her heart pounding out of her chest, beating louder and louder and louder until…

…he could hear them too. The hearbeats. He could _feel_ them. Coming back to reality, he felt the pressure on his chin increase as the doll's face continued to grow until it filled his entire vision. His heart furiously pounded, screaming to be heard. He felt a strong urge to run but he couldn't. His body wouldn't listen. It was locked in place like the useless scared woman in the film. Something bothered him about the comparison. He was frozen like the woman… the scared woman. Was he scared? Scared of the living doll Misa? Ridiculous! He wasn't scared, he just hated the sight of the doll slowly approaching him with such an evil aura. Again he recalled the moment the woman's heart stopped pounding in the film, the moment when her head came in contact with the murderer's ax in a single move. He shuddered at the thought at exactly the same time he felt a cold sensation in his lips.

The ax met the woman's head.

The doll's lips met his own.

The ax met the woman's head.

The doll's lips met his own.

The ax met the woman's head.

The doll's lips met his own.

The doll's lips met his own.

Loud laughter erupted in the background.

"Did you see that? He looked so scared! Hahahah! Poor child!"

"I know! I recorded it all!"

"Put it on youtube!"

"Is he going to cry? Hahaha!"

Ax…Head… Blood… Doll… Lips… Blood... Ax… Blood… The gruesome scenes kept repeating in Light's head. The two merged in one and he couldn't tell one from the other anymore. He felt as if he'd been hit with an ax himself and was now dead.

Disoriented, he looked around and found the living doll standing awkwardly beside him.

"…Did I scare you, Light? Sorry, it's just that they-" Light cut her off with a shake of his head.

"…can we go?" he asked coming back to his senses, clearly uncomfortable. Misa eagerly agreed and they walked out of the store without looking back at the workers.

"I'm really sorry Light, I didn't mean to scare you." Light's cheeks reddened a little. He was embarrassed that he'd acted so childish in front of so many people. He was embarrassed that he'd been kissed. He was embarrassed that he'd been _scared _with a little kiss.

"I was just surprised. You don't scare me or anything… where is your mom anyway?" Light wanted to change the subject of their conversation, but he feared Misa would never let go of this.

"She said to meet her in front of McDonald's… "

Before she'd even finished talking, Light was already heading to the dining area of the mall. He was annoyed and wanted to get away from MisaTheLivingDoll. He'd been around her too much today. She whined and caught up to him, walking silently by his side.

There were only a handful of people in the McDonald's, including Misa's mother. She was sitting in a corner table, sipping from a large cup of coffee and staring interestedly at the TV screen mounted on the wall directly across from her.

"Light, you play the violin, don't you?" said Misa's mother, finally turning to them after they sat on her table. That woman seemed to be informed of everything, Light thought.

"A little" he responded. Over the last two years, he'd also taken violin lessons after his parents suggested it, because he had quite a bit of free time and schoolwork didn't give him much of a challenge. Truthfully speaking, he enjoyed his violin lessons more than any other school subject, because it required a lot more concentration and practice than anything else he'd ever come across. He found it frustrating at times when he couldn't play a certain note, but after he got it the satisfaction he obtained was irreplaceable. If he was being honest, he was rather obsessed with the violin. He loved the sound it created, the beautiful melodies that resonated throughout his whole body. He could probably spend all day playing without ever getting bored.

"Why don't you join a competition? You play classical music right?"

"…I don't know if I'm good enough…" Light answered honestly. He hadn't even considered joining a competition. He considered his playing sort of a hobby, nothing serious. He thought he was a decent player for someone his age, but he wasn't sure how good other kids played.

"There's going to be a competition in New York soon for piano and violin players. It's international" she pointed to the TV as she continued talking "… there's a Japanese boy coming to enter it. Look, he's performing, isn't he good? Speaking of which, aren't you Japanese too Light? You may even know him!"

Light turned his eyes to the TV, disinterested. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard. Did she seriously think he would know the random Japanese kid? Just how small did she think Japan was? Either way, he followed her gaze to the TV, where a small figure sat in front of a beautiful grand piano. He hadn't been paying attention before, but now he instantly recognized the piece- Mozart's Rondo Alla Turca.

The tempo was a little off, but he still did a good interpretation of it. Light didn't think the kid could win the competition the way he played now though. But he supposed the fact that he was so young drew attention from crowds. Light listened to the piece contently, but there was something bothering him, he just couldn't quite put his finger on it. It wasn't just the tempo, there was something else, something…

"Well, that's enough of that. Let's go home kids" Misa's mother stood up, signaling the kids to do the same.

On their way home, Light couldn't get the boy pianist out of his mind.

_What was it about that boy? Why can't I get him out of my head? Is it just because he's Japanese? No… I'm not even sure if he really is Japanese. Misa's mother may have just assumed he was because he looked Asian. She really is kind of ignorant, telling me I might know him... but really, what was it about the boy? Think, think… he sat at the piano, moving his hands quickly… Oh! His hands! Yes, yes that must be it! His hands were placed strangely on the piano, sort of awkwardly bent at the wrist. How could he even play like that? Wasn't it uncomfortable? Yeah, that's probably it, the thing that was bothering me. Then there was also that way he slouched. Most people play piano with straight backs, but the boy slouched a bit too much. Oh yeah. And he kept his head down too, almost like he wanted to hide his face. I never did see his face. His hair was too long and unruly to see it. Oh yes, that too. The boy had wild hair! Unlike anything he'd seen before. It was almost like, what is it that people call it here?... that curly poofy hair he'd seen some Americans wear…Afro! Hahaha! Yes yes, the boy had his own kind of afro hair style- a little long and straight, but poofy, pointing out in all directions like he'd been electrocuted. He probably had never touched a comb in his life. How embarrassing. He was representing the Japanese population looking like that…Why didn't I notice how bad he looked until now? Did he play so good that I forgot to pay attention to him? I can't deny he played well, but I've heard better. He's just a child. I wonder how old he is… Well, I guess I just wasn't paying enough attention. _

"Light! We're home!"

Light looked outside the car window. They were in the parking garage of Misa's apartment building. Internally sighing, he followed them as they entered their home. He was sick of being around Misa all day. He just wanted to go home and stare at his fake stars. He watched them carry their shopping bags inside. He didn't offer to help- he was tired and hadn't even gotten the promised new computer. Pouting, he threw himself on a white leather couch, waiting for the women to finish bringing everything in. After a couple of minutes, he distantly heard Misa excitedly telling his mom something about a kiss.

That stupid kiss!

Light had completely forgotten all about it. At the mere mention of it, he reddened furiously and groaned. Misa and her big mouth. The voices grew louder. He did not want to face Misa's mom- she'd laugh at him too for the rest of his life. Not knowing what to do, he turned around and laid face down on the couch, hiding his red face. He would pretend to be overly exhausted.

"Light! How many times do I have to tell you to take off your shoes? You are dirtying my sofas!" Light had the urge to stand up and jump repeatedly on all her sofas, just to piss her off, but he instead sat up slowly and smiled.

"Yes ma'am"

"You are such a good boy Light. Misa, why can't you learn from him? You're always jumping on the sofas with your dirty feet. Light won't marry you in the future if you behave like that"

Marry?

…Marry… Misa…

He'd gone from being Misa's neighbor to her boyfriend and now future husband all in one day. Absurd. Ridiculous, ignorant people they were, Misa and her mother both. He hoped they weren't serious with the marrying thing but he couldn't tell with them. He really hoped all Americans weren't like that- shallow, stupid, and selfish. Misa wasn't so bad when she wasn't clinging onto him like a piece of gum, but she and her mother together were a little too much for him. Perhaps he would meet better people in school. He prayed he would.

"Light, why are you so gloomy? Do you hate me because I-"

"You said you would buy me a new computer" Light said quickly, before Misa had a chance to bring up the stupid kiss again.

"Oh, I forgot"

_Of course you did, stupid girl. _

"Misa, it's not good to make promises if you won't follow up on them. Light, what kind of computer did you want?"

Light had expected some kind of remark about promising to buy something expensive, but Misa's mother didn't even blink. Light wondered what the limit of her "kindness" was. How much would she be willing to spend on a mere neighbor?

"… well, I'll play games on it"

"Then a gaming computer it is. Let's go. There's an electronics store close by"

"Right now?"

"Yes, I need a new tablet too anyway"

_This woman isn't so bad at all. Stupid, selfish, shallow people aren't so bad at all. _

Light was delighted. He'd gotten a $2000+ desktop with many features that he didn't even know how to use. If he was being honest with himself, the only difference he noticed from his old computer was the sleek design and speed. This one was much faster than his old one. When he said he wanted to play games on it, he only meant the average computer game, not those that required a fancy computer like this. He wasn't complaining of course. He was grateful to Misa and her mother. They even paid to have it installed in his home.

He now sat in front of it, staring at the wide screen, trying to get used to it.

He was humming the piece he'd heard earlier. When he realized this, the image of wild black hair came back to his mind without a warning.

Almost instinctively, he opened the default internet browser and typed in 'Japanese boy playing piano', but the results were unsatisfying. He tried again with 'Japanese boy playing Rondo Alla Turca'. Once again, he received a million results of Asian kids playing crappy interpretations of the piece. Frustrated, he was about to give up on the subject when he remembered something Misa's mom had mentioned- the boy would be competing in New York. He tried one last time: 'Japanese boy piano Rondo Alla Turca New York competition'.

"There he is!"

He clicked on the first youtube link, leading him to a replay of the performance he'd partially seen in McDonald's. He glanced at the video suggestions on the side. There was one that particularly caught his attention. It looked to be the same boy, in casual clothes this time, playing one of his favorite pieces- Beethoven's moonlight sonata.

Click.

The camera followed the boy as he walked down the stage to the grand piano. He wore blue jeans and a white shirt, with his unusual messy hair. As he sat on the bench, Light noticed something he overlooked before- the boy was barefoot! Not only that, but he was sitting in a sort of squat-like position, with his knees pulled up right under his chin, and slouching like usual.

Then his hands started moving.

The sound he produced was so soothing Light forgot about everything that had been on his mind before. The music vibrated deep within him and consumed him whole. He felt as if he were on the ocean, floating in the water with no worry whatsoever, just staring at the beautiful night sky. His heart ached, yearned, and danced all at once. He closed his eyes to drink in the sweet melody, to engrave it in his mind. Behind his eyelids, memories he'd stored away in his mind came flowing. His last birthday, where his dad surprised him with a trip to Disney land despite his busy schedule, the time he went to the beach for the first time with his parents- the beautiful, bottomless, pure sea with its immense waves dancing along with the wind, reflecting the moon and the stars. He remembered the time he was in Japan with his best friend L- that overly bright boy that rarely smiled, always tried to suppress his tears and acted awkwardly around everyone. Light smiled at the memory. He remembered the nights he spent with L in his home, playing past midnight- how L would sometimes sit in that annoying way of his, with his feet firmly planted on the chair, barefoot, knees pulled up to his chest. He could sit like that for hours, pressing keyboard buttons with those unusual long fingers of his. As if proud of his large hands, L would annoy Light by keeping his wrists up in the air while he slowly typed with one finger until Light got fed up and pushed him out of his chair. He remembered how they'd always fight for the silliest things, only to make up for it a minute later. Light yearned to see his best friend again, those large black eyes hidden behind his unruly deep black hair. The melody continued as Light lost himself in his memories, until a lightning struck him.

At least, he felt as if it did.

He sat up in his chair quickly, bringing his face as close to the computer monitor as he could. Openmouthed, he stared dumbly at the partially hidden face of the boy. His skin was paper white, pale like a ghost, a great contrast to his shiny black hair. The camera zoomed in on the boy's face as if answering Light's request, revealing long eyelashes and a small nose. His hair actually wasn't that bad up close. Yes, it was fluffy, but did not resemble an American afro at all. The boy moved his hands swiftly, seemingly lost in his own world. Light watched with amazement, half believing what his brain was loudly screaming.

He waited eagerly, holding on to his desk with his nose only a few centimeters away from the screen until the boy's name was announced. He was growing anxious.

Finally, the boy stood up and bowed at the audience. Light cursed him for not looking at the camera. He was dying to see his face!

As if in slow motion, the pianist turned to the camera, completely revealing his face just as his name was announced.

"…There you have it folks! Piano sonata no. 14 in c sharp minor! By the promising young man…"

Unable to contain his anxiety, Light fell out of his chair.

"…L!"

**A/N: In case you didn't notice, words in italics are just direct thoughts from the characters (Light in this case) rather than 3rd person view.**

**Can you tell I'm into classical music? :D Don't worry, the story doesn't revolve around music.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Why so suddenly? What's gotten into you Light?"

Mrs. Yagami was a little surprised. Her 7-year-old son wanted to enter a music competition! Her one son that never showed much of an interest in anything was out of the blue _demanding _to get more violin lessons for the next month with the most expensive tutor they could find! She was a little happy to see Light that excited- she hadn't seen his eyes shine like that since they left Japan, but she couldn't help thinking,

_That kid only thinks about himself. _

His current violin teacher was a handsome young man named Leo. He wasn't too expensive since his career was just starting and he was still a student, but Mrs. Yagami could see he had a lot of potential. She really didn't want to let him go for some ridiculously expensive, old and arrogant lady, especially if this was just a whim of Light's. He was just a kid after all.

"I want to compete with L mother. I want to beat him" said Light with a seriousness that did not suit his boyish features. Mrs. Yagami sometimes felt this way when talking to Light- like she was looking at a boy in a movie that practiced a line countless of times but still did not manage to appear like the serious adult he imitated. His expressions actually had the opposite effect on her; she found them adorably funny.

More importantly, did Light just mention beating L? Was that not his friend from Japan? Maybe there was a contestant that looked like him. Either way, it was healthy for her son to go out there and have a taste of the world. She was sure he wouldn't make it past the first or second round, but that should help strengthen his ambitions and motivations.

"Okay, but Leo stays. I'll talk to him"

"Thank you, mother"

Mrs. Yagami rolled her eyes. Again with that formal tone of his. He marched out of the room with a tiny satisfied smile pasted on his face, like he'd just won a game he already knew he was going to win.

She sometimes asked herself,

_Am I really lucky to have such a son? Or… will he be the death of me?_

* * *

The cold wind hit his flushed cheeks roughly as he walked from the car to his large new home. The scarf he wore around his neck barely provided enough warmth given how old and raggedy it was. He looked down at his belongings- one single suitcase that was only half filled with clothes and the toy car he'd gotten as a present some time ago. He was going to leave that behind but took it the last minute, unable to part from it for some reason. That brought a faint memory of the brown-haired boy he'd spent so much of his time with in the past. If he recalled correctly, the boy's mother had promised to be back in a year. L hated to admit, but he'd actually waited for their return. He waited and waited, but the Yagamis never came back, as if they'd never been there in the first place.

Sighing, L followed his now official guardian, Watari- an old but surprisingly clever man- to his temporary apartment in the noisy city of New York. He couldn't understand why, but the orphanage had granted him permission to go overseas to compete. Not only that, but they allowed this mysterious man to legally adopt him and take him under his wing. Nobody in the orphanage had ever gotten adopted before- the place was more like a house for parentless, suspiciously intelligent kids that went away before they reached eighteen. He was only seven. Of course, he knew something was odd about the orphanage, he'd always known it, but he didn't question it because he had nowhere else to go. By the way things were going now, he felt he would find the true purpose of that place very soon.

When L had merely mentioned a piano competition in NY, the orphanage ladies jumped at the chance and suggested he join it. Not letting go of such a great opportunity to leave his dull and routine life, he accepted the kind offer. Soon after, Watari appeared out of nowhere to take him away. The man definitely had some sort of connection with the orphanage. He was now walking up the stairs of the apartment building they would apparently be living in. The place seemed expensive. Perhaps Watari had more money than his appearance suggested.

Upon entering , the first thing that entered his line of vision was the sleek grand piano that sat in the middle of the living room. _Amazing._

"Why go so far, Watari? Do you like my playing that much?" L didn't even attempt calling the man father, not even "sir". The man didn't seem to care.

"Look, child. I've hired one of the best piano tutors in the area. You absolutely MUST win this competition. Your future depends on it. It is the only reason you are here".

_Maybe Watari really is just a greedy old man that thinks he can make money off me,_

"O-okay… I'll get first place in the competition. I will" He meant it. He really would win if this man was willing to go so far for him. Still, he could not understand the meaning behind the man's words. It wouldn't be until much, much later that he would really come to know just how important this time of his life was, how not only his future, but his entire life depended on this single performance, in more ways than one.

Watari smiled at him and patted him affectionately on the head.

"Yes, I know you will. I've put all my faith in you".

Again, L failed to understand the mysterious man. He hated not understanding, but he knew he wouldn't get anything out of the man by asking now. Surely, all his secrets would unravel themselves one day along with the orphanage's. Just what kind of game were they playing and how did L fit into it? For now, he was simply glad to have a breath of fresh air in a new environment where interesting things were bound to happen.

Tired from travelling for so long, he started walking towards one of the bedrooms but Watari stopped him midway.

"Rest well. You will practice everyday from morning to night starting tomorrow." L wondered if the man was joking, but his unblinking eyes and stern expression said otherwise.

_He's really serious about this isn't he? I don't understand. Is it fame he wants? What about the orphanage? They're practically the ones who encouraged me to pick up the piano two years ago… and seemed all too eager to send me away. Thinking back on it, their good byes weren't those of people that were parting for only a month. They actually cried when I left, like they would never see me again… just what exactly is going on? I feel like I'll get executed if I don't win the darn competition. It just doesn't make sense…_

"...ok…"

He wanted to get away from the man. He was putting too much pressure on him. It's not that he didn't work well under pressure-because he did- he simply disliked doing things because others wanted him to do them. Still, he would not lose. If he accepted a challenge, he'd go through with it and overcome it, no matter what it took.

Yes, he wanted a challenge. School wasn't challenging at all. It was rather painful to listen to things he already knew over and over again while other kids slowly absorbed the material. He actually sometimes caught mistakes his teacher made a few times while teaching but he wasn't interested enough to point it out. Hopefully, this competition would provide challenging opponents that he could gain satisfaction from surpassing. The piano itself was quite easy to play, but he enjoyed it nonetheless. He found it fascinating how a finite number of keys could create countless of different combinations of sounds that if put together well, had the power to move people to tears. He lost himself in his music when playing, allowing his mind to relax for once and simply followed the natural flow of the sounds emitting from his fingers.

L sighed again, closing his eyes for the night.

A long month awaited him.

* * *

"Liiiiiiiiiight! La-la-liiiiiight! Lee-lee-Liiiiiight! Loo-loo-liiiiii—AH!" The girl fell out of the bed on to the carpet as a flying paperback hit her flat on her left cheek.

Surprised at his perfect aim, Light burst out laughing witnessing the annoying doll meet the floor with a satisfying thud. Oh, how many times he'd wanted to hit that girl! She really knew how to get on his last nerve.

Having the time of his life, he grabbed a pillow and threw it at the doll's head as she was beginning to get up. He laughs increased volume seeing the doll fall back down at the impact.

"What the hell! You're so meaaaaEAN!" At that last syllable, Misa threw the same pillow back at Light with surprising speed, actually hitting him square on the face. Without losing another second, she quickly picked up another pillow and shot it directly at his face again before Light could even react.

"Stop it Misa!" he yelled, picking up some dirty socks he'd left lying on the ground this morning and instinctively sent them flying in the doll's direction..

"Ew! Gross!" Again she threw them back at the boy and the two continued their little fight with pillows, dirty clothes, and even books.

"…What's going on here?" a deep voice spoke loudly over the kids' laughs and complaints. They froze at once and turned towards the source of the sound.

Light's cheeks reddened a little when he realized the situation he was caught in. He, who prided himself in being mature, was seen taking part in a _pillow fight. With Misa. _And he'd been laughing unrestrictedly, not giving a care in the world.

_It's all Misa's fault. Her stupidity must be contagious. _

And to make matters worse, it was his violin teacher who had seen them. Light had come to admire the guy for his determination and success. He witnessed him grow from an average student to an outstanding performer that was now recognized across the nation. He was strict, but kind and fair- never did he once suggest increasing his price to the Yagamis even though he charged newer students much more now given his position.

To Light's dismay, Leo removed a piece of clothing from his head. Were those…boxers? Black and blue checkered boxers … that he'd worn yesterday? His face flamed even more at the sudden realization. He had thrown those at Misa just before Leo stopped them! He must have missed and hit Leo instead! Where had the boxers even come from? Had they not started with a single pair of socks only?

Too embarrassed to look at his teacher and for once not knowing what to say, Light dropped the pillow he was holding and started picking up the scattered clothes and books thrown around the room. He was trying to come up with an excuse for his behavior but couldn't come up with any.

Leo laughed a little watching the flustered boy and patted him on the head lightly.

"Well, sometimes I forget you're still a kid Light. Don't be embarrassed. It's ok to have fun with your girlfriend"

Light didn't even bother denying the ridiculous statement. He knew Leo was only making light of him. This wasn't a situation he saw everyday so he'd probably tease him about it for the rest of his life.

"Allright then, enough playing around. Leave the cleaning for later Light. Go grab your violin. We need to get your prepared to win. Because you WILL win, won't you? You don't want to make your sensei look bad!"

"Yeah yeah. I'll do my best. Misa, go away already. You're in the way"

Misa pouted a little but did as she was told. She knew how serious Light became when he started his lessons. His rude tone didn't bother her. She was actually sort of happy because Light was finally starting to open up to her, expressing his true feelings without guilt or forcing himself to be polite. She liked to see his natural smiles and carefree laughs like those of today—they didn't come often. Of course, she didn't miss how Light didn't deny she was his girlfriend today. He was probably too embarrassed or tired to say anything, but it still made her happy. She almost wished Light wouldn't go to school so that she would continue to be his one and only friend.

The next few weeks flew by at an astounding speed. Light and L both saw the days pass in a blur, immersing themselves fully in their lessons, practicing from morning to night. Each approaching day brought with it more pressure as the competition neared. L was absolutely confident in his skills, but he practiced nonetheless. He would take no risks; he'd allow no one to get even close to his scores. Light, on the other hand, practiced dutifully until his fingers hurt. The competition scared him a little. This would be his first time in a stage, performing in public. He'd never experienced anything like it, so he wasn't sure what to expect. The thought of losing scared him. But he knew, the only true opponent in that competition was an awkward black-haired boy with large dark eyes. The thought of seeing him again, of competing against him motivated him like nothing else ever would.

Finally, after many restless nights and painful lessons, the day of the competition arrived. It came unexpectedly, sooner than they anticipated. Both boys refused to admit it, but they were nervous. Light refused to even think of failure, and L kept repeating Watari's words in his head.

_My future depends on this performance._

He shook his head and relaxed. Everything was fine, perfectly fine. He'd practiced more than necessary. There was no reason to worry. That calmed him down. The boy was stubborn and confident. He'd allow no more negative thoughts to poison his thoughts.

Watari drove him to the concert hall where the competition was taking place. Other than him and perhaps his tutor, he'd know nobody there. They taught him English at the orphanage and he wanted to practice it, but there was no one to talk with. He sighed, exiting the car just as Watari parked in their reserved spot.

Looking around, his suspicions were confirmed. He seemed to be the only Japanese there. In fact, there didn't seem to be many other international participants. Well, some could already be inside but there was a large portion of them outside talking amongst themselves. While they made their way inside, he started counting all the non-American participants.

_One…_

_ two…. _

_Three… _

_four…. _

_Five… _

_six… _

_sev—wait a second, wasn't that last one Japanese also? _

He turned back to the entrance where he'd spotted the young Japanese, but he was gone, probably already inside. He urged Watari to go in with him; there was no point in hanging out there when they had no one to greet.

_I saw him._

_I saw him!_

_I saw him I saw him I saw him!_

Light's heart was beating loudly in his chest from the excitement he could barely contain. It took all his self-control to stop himself from running towards his friend and throwing himself at him like Misa often did with him. Now that he'd seen L, he realized how much he had missed all this time.

Thankfully, the piano performances started first so he was allowed to sit in the audience and listen to L's performance calmly. He wondered what L's reaction would be when he saw him perform. Would L even be aware that he was there?

He took the brochure from his mother, looking for the order the participants would play in. L was the last one on the list. The last piano contestant. Didn't people say that the best was saved for last? It would certainly prove true in this case. Light smiled and sat back on his chair, impatient to begin the long awaited competition.

* * *

A/N: Thank you to all those reading! If you can, please do review! I welcome any kind of feedback!

Random question: do any of you own a kindle? And if so, do you read PDF files on it? What do you use to convert them? I can't get any pdf files with images to show up properly on it!


	6. Chapter 6 Part I

Chapter 6

L strolled confidently inside to the back of the stage, where all the other piano contestants waited nervously with their parents. They had approximately ten minutes before the first performer was called to the stage. He looked around, observing his opponents. One girl desperately studied a few music sheets; she was probably one of the first contestants. There was a seemingly arrogant older boy sitting on his own in a corner, observing everyone with a sneer. One tiny girl appeared to be on the verge of tears. L sighed. He didn't really want to be the last one to perform. He'd have to listen to bad performances repeatedly all day.

After what seemed like an eternity, the girl studying the scores was called down to the stage. She stood up quickly, perfected her stature, smoothed her dress and walked out with long, steady steps looking straight ahead with determination. L watched her disinterested.

Everyone grew quiet, waiting for the girl to begin playing. Exactly one minute after she stepped out, gentle music entered his ears. It was slow and steady at first, but grew loud and quick as the minutes passed. To his surprise, the sound she created was quite pleasant. The girl's playing reminded him of a roaring lion, screaming, exercising his power to the fullest. It suited her well. He didn't recognize the piece, but he was sure the girl had not made a single mistake.

After her performance ended, the girl entered the room with a flushed face, clearly satisfied. Surprising everyone present, L stood up and approached her.

"I liked it" he stated firmly. He stood still for a few seconds, blinked, and walked back to his original spot. He heard a few whispers from the back of the room. "What a weirdo", they said. But he gave them no importance, as he was used to those types of comments.

"Wake up, Light." Mrs. Yagami hissed. Receiving no response from the unconscious boy, she tried again,

"Light! You missed your friend's performance!" He instantly sat up, looking around a little disoriented.

"What?! L performed already? Why didn't you wake me up! When did I even—" He was interrupted by the loud voice coming through the speakers, announcing the next contestant.

"L Lawliet from Japan, performing Chopin's Ballade No. 2"

Light turned his attention to the stage, leaning forward as if to hear better. His eyes followed every move of the black haired boy as he walked slowly and timidly toward the center of the stage. His hair was undone as usual, but he wore a nice-fitting tux with a bow in place of a tie. Light fought the urge to laugh at the image; he looked like a little kid who was forced by his parents to dress up for a wedding.

All sound ceased as the boy raised his hands to begin his performance. L closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and opened them back again in a flash, seeing nothing but the piano keys before him.

Light sucked in a deep breath, holding it in like his life depended on it. His heart started beating faster with expectation. He'd never been so excited in his life! He exhaled at exactly the same time L pressed his fingers softly into the keys. The rich sound immediately enraptured him. L's fingers moved slowly, smoothly, but firmly, creating a relaxing, purifying atmosphere that made one think of the bottomless sea, the cool wind and soft sound of chipping birds. Then he increased his speed dramatically with no warning, his fingers flying through the piano at the speed of light. The music gave Light goose bumps. He stayed frozen in spot, amazed, watching the small boy down the stage furiously pushing multiple keys at once, or one after another, softly, roughly, quickly and slowly again. It was a rather complicated piece, but L did not make a single mistake. The entire audience stood up to clap wildly when L's performance ended. Such a grand performance intimidated him a little.

_That was… beyond my expectations. Can I really beat that? I must._

It wasn't in his character to feel so insecure. That little black-haired person was the only one in the entire planet that could make him feel that way.

L walked to the back of the stage to gather his things, finding the rest of the contestants chatting lightly in his absence. Conscious of their stares and whispers, he sat in a bench with his legs pulled up under his chin and waited for Watari to come get him. He couldn't wait to go home. There were still two more rounds to go, but those would take place during the course of the next two days.

_How annoying. Can't they give me the prize already? It's obvious I'm going to win. _

"I liked your performance as well"

Was someone actually speaking to him? Without looking up, he saw the black heels and hem of the dark purple dress he'd seen earlier that day. He raised his gaze to meet the girl's, confirming the voice belonged to the first performer.

"Thank you" he answered, looking back at his uncomfortable shoes.

"I'll see you tomorrow at the semi-finals" she declared before marching away.

_Cocky girl._

After two long minutes, Watari finally arrived.

"Let's go, Watari"

"Call me dad in public, please" Watari was somewhat embarrassed to make such a request. But he needed to keep appearances for the sake of them both.

"…Sure_, father_" Both grimaced at the word.

L walked straight to the door, only to have his _father_ pull him back by the collar of his shirt.

"Where do you think you're going, young man? We still need to wait for the results"

"But that's unnecessary. I already won." Watari raised an eyebrow at the arrogant words. There were plenty of worthy performers that were not to be disregarded so simply. But L had indeed been the best, all thanks to the tough training he'd undergone for the past month.

"We are waiting", he responded, leaving no room for discussion. It was situations like these that really made L wish he was an adult already. He hated depending on others.

He spent the next two hours falling in and out of sleep, unable to fully ignore the endless string of violin players ranging in skill. In his dreams, someone played well for once. Yes, the sound was finely structured and reflected immense practice. The technique was amazing, but there was still something lacking. What was it? The piece was artfully chosen to show off skill, but it was somehow shallow, like a tempting ball of chocolate that you eagerly bite into- only to find out it was an empty shell. It was a little disappointing, really. The piece was beautiful, full of potential, but it was stuck at that superficial shell that could prove to be difficult to break.

L sighed, opening his eyes. The beautiful piece continued resonating through the air. Was it not a dream? Interested, he raised his head to get a good look at the performer. Brown combed hair, light skin, perfect stature, black pants and grey ironed dress shirt. Oh, it was that Japanese boy from earlier. Mr. Perfect, wasn't he? Without knowing the boy, L could already guess his entire life story. He was a boy born in a rich home who attended an expensive private school, was arrogant and proud like no other and played all sorts of instruments to satisfy his parents.

He rolled his eyes and put his head back down, dismissing the rich little boy down the stage. He hadn't gotten a good look at his face but he didn't need to. They boy's stance and air of superiority told it all. He was a handsome young man, cocky and ignorant of the world.

Light's heart pounded rapidly in his chest. He'd never experienced something so exhilarating! He absolutely loved standing at the center of the stage, having all eyes and ears focused on him and him only. He felt… important, in control.

_It's amazing what I can do with this tiny piece of wood. If only I had something bigger, more powerful… enough to move the entire city, country, even Earth! _

His thoughts were interrupted with the abrupt start of some nameless performer.

_I am sick of listening to crappy performances all day. I can't stand this any longer. _

He glanced at the remaining contestants. Just three more. That's all he'd have to handle for today. The results were supposed to be out thirty minutes after the performances ended. That gave him approximately one more hour to idle around. Of course, he need not look at the results. There had not been one single challenging opponent . The prize was practically his. The thought brought a smirk to his face. It was a given L would get first place in the piano section, from here on it'd be a private competition between the two of them.

The next hour passed by in a blur. L sat in a corner of the hall with Watari, while the brown-haired boy waited patiently for the results with his mother and Leo, who had arrived just in time to see him perform. The results were posted on a single piece of paper placed on the outside wall. Everyone rushed towards it the second it was hung. Shouts of glee could be heard, along with disappointed grunts or even angry insults. He rolled his eyes at the exaggerated scene. What predictable people. He waited for a few minutes for the crowd to scatter before walking there himself to confirm his entrance to the semifinals.

"I'm in" he stated at exactly the same time some boy beside him uttered the exact same phrase. Curious, he threw a glance at the boy, who was openly staring at him with raised eyebrows as if waiting for a response.

_…Am I supposed to say something? Oh, he's the rich little boy, but- I've seen those hazel eyes before…_

"Congrats, Light. I knew you could do it. No student of mine can fail" A man no older than twenty-five lifted up the younger boy up into the air like he weighted nothing, causing a small scream to escape the young boy's lips. He was carried off that way despite his protests, his eyes never leaving L's.

_His name was Light… Light… Can it really be? Let's see, his name should be on the list... Light… Light… there it is._

_Light Yagami. 8. Violin semi-finalist... _

_It really is Light, the one and only. But what is he doing here? It's too much of a coincidence. Could it be that he followed me here? For what reason? And, when did he grow so much?… he's at least two inches taller. But really, what an unexpected surprise. _

A sudden wave of excitement and expectation entered his body, finally realizing that his only friend was back.

_Light came to play with me._

The next morning couldn't have arrived sooner. All participants spent the little time they had practicing, resting, or relaxing some way or another to calm their nerves. This time, the violinists would perform first in randomized order. L didn't have to attend that first half, but now that he knew a particular brown-haired boy would be performing, he simply couldn't not go. Light had indirectly declared the start of a new game, a little bigger than usual this time.

"Tell me, L, do you know Light Yagami?" Watari suddenly asked as they headed out of their apartment.

"Yeah, we went to the same school in Japan" The older man absorbed this information, nodding slowly with his eyes bright in deep thought.

"Why? Are you going to kidnap him?"

"You read my mind, child"

There were fewer people at the hall now that over half the participants had gotten eliminated. The quietness was refreshing. He sat close to the front, in the area designated for contestants and their parents.

"Hi"

L felt some movement in the seat next to him. Couldn't they sit somewhere else? There was plenty of space.

"Hello? Are you trying to ignore me?"

He finally turned around, recognizing the voice.

"What? Do you need something?" he replied to that cocky girl. She blushed a little with his question and almost made a move to get up, but took a deep breath instead and offered her hand to L.

"You have no manners. Here, shake my hand. I'm Evan" L only stared at her small hand.

"…Are you _commanding _me to shake your hand? Isn't that supposed to be optional?" He let a little smile form in his lips. The girl's blush deepened. She grabbed his hand on her own and shook it fiercely, seven times to be exact, and finally stood up to leave.

"Nice to meet you too, L Lawliet. I'll see you tomorrow at the finals" She marched off with an exaggerated posture, finding her way back to her seat— right behind L.

"Well, well, I see you've made some friends, son"

"Save the creepy smile, Watari. And quit hitting my head. Is that supposed to be affectionate?"

"Shut up. It's starting" said a feminine voice behind him as she kicked the back of his chair.

The performers were not half bad this time around. There was a particular boy a little older than him whose music actually brought in unwanted goose bumps and caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up. His music was calm and steady, gradually building tension at the appropriate places before hitting the audience with the final climax that left them all breathless.

_Light is in trouble._

He stayed calm, waiting patiently for his turn to come. He admitted that last contestant had been wonderful, beyond his expectations, but he surely would do better. His one and only opponent sat with the audience, not together with that group of… trash.

Two more persons performed before his turn finally arrived.

"Light Yagami, performing Polonaise Brillante no.1 op.4 in D major"

Step, step, step. Light stood in the center of the stage and faced the audience.

_Wow, there are so many people staring at me. I could certainly get used to this._

He placed his violin on his shoulder and signaled his accompanist to begin.

"He radiates confidence through his every pore, doesn't he?" asked Leo, smiling with satisfaction.

"…He does. Be honest with me, Leo. Do you think he'll make it to the finals?" Leo looked at Mrs. Yagami surprised.

"Of course! He has a chance of winning, even. Have you heard the rest of the kids?" The woman visibly relaxed and nodded.

"Watari, do you think he can win?"

"He is skilled" the man simply said.

L agreed. Light was clearly skilled. His performances were impressive, perfect and flawless, but they didn't ignite any strong reactions like that other kid from before. It really was up to the judges to decide on a winner.

"How handsome" he heard someone mutter behind him.

"How annoying" he muttered back.

"Shhh".

"What piece are you playing L?"

"Evan, let me be. I'm next"

She complied and went back to her seat, closing her eyes until her new favorite pianist began playing.

"Chopin's tristesse" she whispered. "Beautiful. That boy really knows how to move people's hearts". She sighed contently, losing herself in the music.

Light admitted L's sound was captivating. It had a depressing tone to it, but that made it all the more appealing. All sound ceased when his fingers moved. No child dared cry or even breathe. He looked up to see his mother with closed eyes and a relaxed smile, clearly enjoying herself. He mimicked his mother's movements and let his mind wander away as his ears danced in ecstasy.

_I see. People like these sort emotional pieces. My final piece is perfect then._

"Amazing, L, as expected." L was greeted by that Evan again. He responded with a courteous nod and walked past her.

"Aren't you next? Go already". The girl stood up upon hearing her name. Once again, her playing reminded him of an angry lioness, running through the trees, chasing away smaller beings, then happily jumping into a pond when she thought no one was looking. It radiated liveliness, fearlessness and a hint of playfulness. A complete opposite of his playing style, but he found himself strangely attracted to it.

A brown-haired boy sat in a bench outside the concert hall as he did the day before, patiently waiting for the crowd to scatter before approaching the small paper on the wall. Right across from him, a couple of feet away, sat a short boy with large black eyes, apparently waiting for the results as well. A horde of people separated them, but they held each other's gaze, unmoving, even after the crowd had completely disappeared. A few minutes later, as in mutual agreement, they stood up at the same time and walked to their common destination. Their eyes quickly scanned the names on the page, simply nodding when confirming their advances to the finals.

"Congrats", they both said at equal times, still looking at the paper on the wall. That brought a silly laugh from the boys as they finally turned to look at the other.

"L" Light sighed.

"Light" mimicked the shorter boy.

"…I'm sorry. I never did go back even after I promised…"

"Light?"

"Yeah?"

"You're not that important" Light's cheeks flamed involuntarily at the comment. What did he expect? For his friend to say he cried every night because he didn't come back? L was right of course. The world didn't revolve around him.

"Right. Well, um, I'll see you tomorrow at the finals. Be sure I'll—" Light stopped midsentence when he was suddenly pushed from behind.

"Light says he missed you very much and is absolutely ecstatic to see you again. He wouldn't shut up about you when he found out you were coming here" said Leo in a joking tone as he forced the boys into an awkward hug. He lifted Light's arms and placed them on the shorter boy's shoulders, who was about to move away but was held in place by Leo's large hands. Giving up, he patted Light on the back and brought his lips close to the taller boy's ear.

"I missed Light also" he whispered almost inaudibly. With that, he pushed Light away and walked away, looking back one last time to confidently state,

"I'll win".

* * *

**A/N: **I apologize for such a long wait! School is eating me alive, seriously. The length of this doesn't nearly make up for the wait, but I'll try to post the second part soon. Thank you all for sticking around, I appreciate all the comments. Also, sorry if the chapter seems a bit rushed. I feel the story is moving a little too slowly. Don't you all want them grown up already? Time skip coming soon.


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